The role of screening in the prevention of inherited disease in South Africa.

It is now possible to screen for the presence of the carrier 
state of a number of inherited diseases. Such screening can alert 
one to the need for antenatal diagnosis where feasible, it can 
ensure that early treatment is given to affected infants, and it 
can assist carriers in reaching a decision about having children. Facilities 
for certain types of screening already exist in some centres in 
South Africa, and new techniques will be introduced in the future. 
